Overview: Modeling Heterogeneous Tumor Tissue as a Multiphase Material

Tumors are typically heterogeneous tissues comprised of multiple cell species in addition to extra-cellular matrix (ECM) and water fluid. It is difficult to model these components at the tissue (10-3-10-2m) scale, where individual cells cannot be represented without prohibitive computational burden. Assuming that same-kind components tend to cluster together, a multiphase approach can be applied to represent heterogeneous tumor tissue at this larger physical scale. This method enables simulating mixture of elements within tissues, e.g., geno-/phenotypic heterogeneity underlying mutation- or microenvironment-driven tumor progression. Further, by not explicitly tracking interfaces, this methodology facilitates realistic modeling of tissue in 3-D.